DON, IF THE LEAK IS COMING THROUGH...
the stuffing box, Dakota has it right. When the boat is in the water and the prop shaft is not spinning there should be no water dripping. However, when the shaft is spinning, the four to six drips per minute is normal and needed for lubrication. To make the adjustment in the drip rate requires that you loosen the stuffing box lock nut, tighten the stuffing box no more than one eighth of a turn and check the drip rate while the shaft is spinning. Let the shaft spin for a few minutes then touch the stuffing box; it can be warm, but not hot. If it is, and the drip rate has not changed, you may need to replace the sealant material. I wrote and article a few months ago about changing the stuffing box material. Check the archives for the steps that I took on my P42. It works best doing it while the boat is out of the water. You can do it while in the water, but it can be a bit nerve racking for the first timer. This, of course, all assumes that it is the stuffing box and not something else. Terry
